Swift Step (Dash & Sprint)

Swift Step is the first and most fundamental Ancestral Art you will find in Hollow Knight: Silksong, completely transforming Hornet’s mobility. This ability grants you the essential Dash and Sprint, providing the speed and agility required to survive the dangerous world of Pharloom.

This guide will walk you through the exact steps to find Swift Step, explain its controls and mechanics, and provide expert tips on how to master it for both combat and exploration.

Ancestral Art

Swift Step

"Sprint at blinding speed, beyond one's natural limits. Chase down prey and leap great distances."

Location: Northern Deep Docks

How to Get Swift Step

Swift Step is located at a hidden bug altar in the northernmost area of the Deep Docks. Follow the steps below to acquire this crucial ability.

Before You Go

The enemies in the Deep Docks can be challenging early on. Consider upgrading your needle or finding a health-enhancing item before venturing to this location.

1. Enter the Deep Docks As you enter the region, you’ll be met with an industrial, mechanical atmosphere. Proceed along the main path.

2. Head Right and Begin Your Ascent Continue heading to the right, passing an elevator that leads to a Rest Bench. You will eventually find a series of platforms leading upwards. Begin your climb to the highest point of this section. This path will take you through a small sub-region known as the Hunter’s March.

3. Cross the Lava Area After the climb, you will enter an open area with jumping skeleton-like foes and pools of lava. Continue heading right until you find a lone platform. Cross over the lava.

4. Reveal the Hidden Passage After crossing, continue to climb. You will spot an orange, glowing explosive ball hanging from the ceiling. Strike it once with your needle and quickly move away. The explosion will blast open a new passage above you.

5. Find the Altar Enter the newly opened passage and proceed to the left. After a short walk, you will discover a glowing, ancient bug altar.

6. Acquire the Ability Approach the altar and interact with it. Hornet will learn Swift Step. This will also open a shortcut back to the start of the area and likely unlock a nearby Bench.

How to Use Swift Step

Swift Step grants two essential movements with a shared input.

How to Dash

A quick burst of speed on the ground or in the air. Perfect for dodging and crossing gaps.

PC: Press C PlayStation: Press R2 Xbox: Press RT Switch: Press ZR

How to Sprint

A continuous, high-speed run. Ideal for traveling quickly through explored areas.

PC: Hold C PlayStation: Hold R2 Xbox: Hold RT Switch: Hold ZR

Usege Tips

Mastering Swift Step is key to mastering the game. Here’s how to use it like a pro.

Combat Tactics

• Dodging: Swift Step is your primary tool for avoiding boss and elite enemy attacks. The dash provides brief invincibility frames, allowing you to pass through projectiles and enemies unharmed if timed correctly.
• Aggressive Repositioning: Use the dash to quickly get behind an enemy after they attack, opening them up for a counter-assault.
• Dash Pierce Attack: Attacking immediately during a dash will perform a Dash Pierce, a lunging strike that covers slightly more distance than a standard dash. Use this to close gaps and deal damage simultaneously.

Movement Tips

• Gap Crossing: Use your air dash at the peak of your jump to cross wider gaps that are otherwise inaccessible.
• Platforming Combos: Combine jumps, dashes, and sprints to navigate complex platforming challenges and reach greater heights.
• Speedrunning: The Sprint is your best friend for backtracking. Use it to speed through previously cleared areas when completing quests or farming for Rosaries.

Skill Synergies

• Cling Grip (Wall Jump): Once you acquire Cling Grip, you can combine a wall jump with an immediate air dash. This combination is the most fundamental advanced movement technique in the game and is required to solve many late-game platforming puzzles.

Ancestral Arts

• Clawline
  

  Clawline

  An advanced Weaver talent that allows you to throw the Silk-strung needle like a harpoon and charge towards it.

  How to Get

  Found in Pharloom. Access this statue from the east side. You must then use this ability to exit this room.

• Cling Grip
  

  Cling Grip

  An ancient Weaver technique that allows the user to cling to sheer surfaces and leap off to rapidly scale heights.

  How to Get

  Bind this ability at the top of the tower in the center of Shellwood. Make your way up through the area to the west using the breakable vines and white flowers.

• Faydown Cloak
  

  Faydown Cloak

  Protective garb lined with the soft of a Fayforn and sewn through with flexible spines.

  How to Get

  Found in Pharloom. Climb the mountain and use Needolin at the peak.

• Needle Strike
  

  Needle Strike

  Charge power in the needle, then release as a deadly attack.

  How to Get

  Speak with Pinstress inside the tent in Pharloom, and agree to train to receive the charge attack skill, Needle Strike.

• Needolin
  

  Needolin

  A Holy Weaver talent that allows the user to play ancient melodies by stringing Silk along the needle.

  How to Get

  Defeat Widow and Bind her to receive this skill. Opens Needolin Doors.

• Drifter's Cloak
  

  Drifter's Cloak

  Simple protective garb, sewn through with flexible spines. Allows you to float in the air and use wind jets.

  How to Get

  Complete the Seamstress's Flexile Spines Wish to obtain.

• Silk Soar
  

  Silk Soar

  An ancient Weaver talent. Throw the needle upward and launch to tremendous heights.

  How to Get

  Found in Pharloom at. Drop to the bottom of the pit to find the statue with this ability.

• Swift Step
  

  Swift Step

  A fabled Weaver talent that allows the user to dash forward and sprint with unnatural speed, as though gliding upon Silk.

  How to Get

  Learned in Pharloom. Enter the area via the eastern entrance and use the "Bind" button prompt.

• Sylphsong
  

  Sylphsong

  Eva's soul and strength reside within. Silk will regenerate while resting at a bench.

  How to Get

  Grant Eva’s final request, and bind this skill. Located in Pharloom .

Silk Skills

• Cross Stitch
  

  Cross Stitch

  A deflective technique utilizing thread spun by a creature. By binding Silk around the needle, you can deflect enemy attacks and instantly strike back.

  How to Get

  Defeat the Phantom to receive this parry-counter ability.

• Pale Nails
  

  Pale Nails

  Technique taken from the primal source of Silk. Spin talons from thread that seek out enemies.

  How to Get

  Return to where you fought the final boss of Act 2, once you start Act 3.

• Rune Rage
  

  Rune Rage

  A forgotten Weaver technique that allows the user to sew rending runes upon their enemies.

  How to Get

  Defeat The First Sinner to bind this skill.

• Sharpdart
  

  Sharpdart

  A deadly Weaver technique that allows you to pierce through enemies in a blur of blade and Silk.

  How to Get

  Found in the Weavenest Karn tunnel, specifically at the western end beyond the Needolin Door in the Wormways. To obtain it, you must bind the skill.

• Silkspear
  

  Silkspear

  A deadly Weaver technique. Throw the needle forward with force amplified by coiled Silk.

  How to Get

  Found in Pharloom. Make your way up the platforms on the east side of the map to climb on top of the central structure. Use the Bind button prompt to learn it.

• Thread Storm
  

  Thread Storm

  A deadly Weaver technique where the needle is cast in a whirl of Silk around oneself, lashing foes.

  How to Get

  Found in Pharloom. To access it, pull the lever in the CrawNest building at the bottom of Craw Lake. Use the balloons that are released to platform up to the section containing the skill. Climb to the top using the balloons, then Bind this skill.